Golf Ball Marker Holder

Abstract

A golf club shaft that holds a disc-type or spike-type golf marker is disclosed. For disc-type ball markers, the top of the shaft may feature a partially raised circumference and lip such that the disc marker may be slid into the part of the circumference that is not raised and may be retained there by tension. For spike-type ball markers, a plurality of hinged, pie-shaped members line the circumference of an opening and are urged inward. The pie shaped members may retain the spike of the golf marker.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A golf club shaft comprising:
 (a) a rigid shaft having a circular cross section, a first end, and a second end;   (b) said first end corresponding to the end where a user customarily grips a golf club, and said second end corresponding to the end where a club head is customarily attached; and   (c) said first end of said shaft having a axially directed opening;   whereby a golf marker may be removably stored within said axially directed opening.   
     
     
         2 . The golf club shaft of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 (a) a spring-loaded disc slidably disposed within said cavity;   (b) said spring loaded disc being urged axially outward from the center of said rigid shaft toward said first end of said rigid shaft;   (c) said cavity being bounded by an arc wall corresponding to a portion of the circumference of said first end of said rigid shaft; and   (d) said arc wall having a radially inwardly directed lip along its axially outward-most edge;   whereby a disc-type golf marker may be slid between said spring-loaded disc and said inwardly directed lip through the unobstructed portion of the circumference of said first end of said rigid shaft and retained there by tension.   
     
     
         3 . The golf club shaft of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 (a) a plurality of thin congruent pie-shaped or triangular rigid members;   (b) said pie-shaped or triangular rigid members being arranged about a central point such that they combine to form a circle or regular polygon; and   (c) said pie-shaped or triangular rigid members being pivotally affixed to the inner circumference of said cavity in said first end of said rigid shaft in a spring-loaded manner such that said triangular rigid members are urged into a first closed position orthogonal to the axial line of said rigid shaft and may, when urged by an external force, be pivoted about a portion of the inner circumference of said cavity in said first end of said rigid member in an axially inward and circumferentially outward direction;   whereby the spike of a spike-type golf marker may be inserted into the center of said pie-shaped or triangular rigid members, thereby urging said pie-shaped or triangular rigid member axially inward and radially outward such that the spike of the spike-type golf marker may be removably retained there by tension.